Lewes

Lewes' population grew in the decade leading up to the most recent census. Data from the census also show there were changes in religion, housing tenure and health.

The population reached nearly 98,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Lewes increased by 5.8%, from just under 92,200 to 97,500.

The addition of just over 5,300 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Lewes was home to, on average, 2.4 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was similar to the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Lewes

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Lewes increased by two years, from 43 to 45 years.

This coastal area had a higher average age than the South East and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 3,000 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 2,000.

About 14% of people in Lewes are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Lewes by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes with adult children living with their parents

Lewes saw the South East's largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just over 1 in 11 (9.2%) households in Lewes had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 7.8% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child remained close to 26%.

Across the region, Wealden saw the next largest increase in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents (from 8.2% in 2001 to 9.3% in 2011).

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

Lewes saw the South East's third-largest rise in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner.

In 2011, just over one in eight (13%) people aged 16 and over in Lewes said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner, compared with 11% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 55% to 50%.

Across the region, only Rother (from 10% to 13%) and Folkestone and Hythe (from 12% to 14%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner.

During this period, Lewes went from having the 23rd-highest to the 16th-highest percentage of people who had divorced or separated out of 309 English local authority areas.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in Lewes

The percentage of Lewes residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 89% to 88% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 1 in 30 (3.6%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.8% in 2001. The percentage of Lewes residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 7.8% to 8.2%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 91% in 2001 to 90% in 2011). Across England, the percentage remained close to 90%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Lewes

The number of people in Lewes that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 17,000 in 2001 to just under 32,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 18% to 32% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the South East (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Lewes that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 66,000 in 2001 to about 56,000 in 2011 (from 72% to 57%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from about 7,600 to just over 8,000. Both of these figures represented about 8.2% of the total population at the time of the 2001 and 2011 censuses.

Just over 600 people (0.4%) said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism, up from about 370 in 2001 (0.6%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population without a religion in Lewes increased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Lewes by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

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